Have Two Brothers Cracked The 220-Year-Old Oak Island Mystery?

14. A Mystery 220 Years in the Making

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Have you ever heard of the Oak Island Mystery? For over 220 years it has been a major topic of interest among explorers looking to unlock the truth behind the island and the treasure it supposedly hides. There have been many expeditions to the island over the years, costing some families their fortunes, sanity, and even their lives. Some people have even theorized the island is cursed and will only reveal its treasure after it has claimed the lives of seven souls.

However, this didn’t faze the Lagina brothers, who would embark on an epic adventure of discovery in an attempt to solve the mystery of the island. Just wait…you won’t believe the twists and turns in this story.

13. It All Began with an Article

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The Lagina brother’s adventure started in 1965, when 11-year old Rick Lagina became obsessed with an article in the “Reader’s Digest” about Oak Island in Nova Scotia, Canada. According to accounts from explorers, the island was harboring buried treasure beyond your wildest dreams. Unfortunately, all searches for the treasure were failures. No one had been able to locate the treasure…that is until now. Rick made it his life’s mission to learn everything he could about the island with the hopes of one day solving the mystery. Do you think he will succeed?

12. The Thirst for Adventure

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According to Rick, he always had a deep-seated sense of adventure. He loved to explore and even had his first expedition at the young age of ten where he and his brother, along with eight friends, found a large granite rock in Kingsford, Michigan. Determined to find out what was under it, his friends helped him move it despite its large size. While they didn’t find any treasure, the experience really spoke to Rick’s adventurous spirit. Therefore, Oak Island soon became an obsession for Rick …but what made the Oak Island mystery so special?

11. A Strange Discovery

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One of the key events that really drew the brothers’ interest took place in 1804 when the Onslow Company put together a search team on the island after a young boy found a mysterious circular symbol. When they began to dig in the area, the team discovered rows of wooden logs and charcoal the deeper they got. They soon realized it was man-made and could have been used to hide the treasure somewhere below.

10. The Tablet

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The team dug in the area and found a stone tablet with strange symbols carved into the stone. While several researchers attempted to decipher the tablet, it wasn’t until 1866 that a professor at Halifax University finally translated it. And let’s just say…the message wasn’t the most uplifting.

9. Island of the Damned

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According to legend, Oak Island must claim the lives of seven souls before its treasure is revealed. The professor was able to translate the following from the tablet: “Forty feet below, two million pounds lie buried.” Unfortunately, the tablet didn’t elaborate on what type of treasure was down there. Could it possibly be a trap? Would the island only reveal its spoils after seven deaths?

8.Traps Abound

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Prior to the tablet’s translation, several research teams attempted to dig deeper into the research site. The first sign there could be treasure was the discovery of two chests of coins. Unfortunately, before they had a chance to dig deeper, the entire pit flooded, almost trapping the team inside. However, the flooding led to a new discovery.

7. Artificial Waterways

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The flooding of the pit would delay the project for over 45 years. However, it allowed new teams time to study the structure and realize the flooding was linked to the tide and tunnels that ran to an artificial beach. This seemed to provide clues that some sort of treasure could actually be buried in the pit because why else would someone craft such an elaborate booby trap?

6. Treasure Theories

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How the treasure ended up on the island has been one of the larger mysteries left unsolved. One of the more popular theories is that Marie Antoinette sent her handmaid from Paris with her valuables during the French Revolution. The maid wound up in Nova Scotia where she enlisted the assistance of the French Navy to help hide the treasure. Do you think this seems plausible or a work of fiction?

5. A Pirate’s Life for Me

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While there are many other theories regarding the island treasure. One that has gained traction is that Captain Kidd buried his treasure on the island. Blackbeard is also known to have buried treasure where only “Satan and myself could find it.” In all honesty though, the truth behind who put the treasure there will most likely never be revealed.

4. Decades of Mysterious Accidents

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As more adventurers and expeditions traveled to Oak Island in search of treasure, there were several accidents. One man died when his rope pulley failed and he plummeted to his death, while another team almost drowned when their water pump system failed and led to an explosion inside the digging shaft. In 1959 tragedy struck Robert Restall, his son, and two workers when they tried to drain the pit once again. Falling victim to poisonous fumes, they all fell to their deaths after becoming unconscious. This has led some to believe the ghosts of the island are protecting the treasure.

3. The Lagina Brothers Fulfill Their Dream

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After 220 years of unsolved mysterious and deadly events, a section of Oak Island was put on the market for sale at $7 million. And who do you think bought it? Rick and Marty Lagina! Even though they were reaching 50 years in age, they were still determined to solve the mystery of the island’s treasure. You won’t believe some of the discoveries they made!

2. Celebrity Status

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The brothers would soon become a hot topic in the entertainment world thanks to their reality show, The Curse of Oak Island. Over the course four seasons, they would make new discoveries on the island, from ancient Aztec markings to coins that belonged to Spain. As these discoveries continued to pile up, it became quite clear that the island had been a hub for many different travelers for hundreds of years. However, the question remained: did the island have treasure buried somewhere?

1. The Hunt Continues

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While the brothers have yet to find the treasure that Oak Island continues to keep hidden, they do believe with today’s technology they are closer than ever. Their show was recently renewed for a fifth season that will begin airing November 2017 and they hope to finally unravel the mysteries of the island once and for all.